Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2015

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department

Chemical Engineering

Degree Program

Chemical Engineering, PhD

Committee Chair

Willing, Gerold A.

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Fu, Xiao-An

Committee Member

Depuy, Gail

Committee Member

Lilly, John

Committee Member

Zurada, Jacek

Subject

Zinc imidazolate

Abstract

Venna, Carreon, and Jasinski produced and characterized the first samples of the zinc imidazolate framework ZIF-8 at the University of Louisville in 2010. In this dissertation the production, properties, and applications of this unique metal-organic framework are explored. Previously, only minute laboratory amounts (1/4 gram), of ZIF-8 were produced via time-consuming and expensive processes. Production quantities have been synthesized via both a continuous and a batch process using a spray drying operation to effect separation of the solid product (ZIF-8) from the mother liquor. Approximately 85% of the mother liquor (methanol), can be recovered from the spray dryer resulting in magnitude-of-order savings in time and money. Before any engineering applications could be suggested it was necessary to quantify important physical properties of ZIF-8 not currently available. The density, thermal conductivity, specific heat, and BET surface area were measured via strict ASTM procedures and reported. It was hoped that the massive surface area of ZIF-8 (~ 1300 m2/g), would effect enhanced heat transfer in engineering applications. The Heat Transfer Laboratories at the University of Louisville, served as the testing site for the use of the microparticle ZIF-8 as an agent for enhanced heat transfer when mixed in small vol% in synthetic oil. Unfortunately ZIF-8 delivered no such enhancement.

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